feeling existing between officers and men were conspicuously the attributes of the rejuvenated 3rd Battalion. The Battalion, therefore, not only won for itself a great reputation as a fighting unit, but conveyed later the same spirit to the Mounted Infantry, for the inception and success of which its officers and Riflemen were largely responsible. [Sidenote: 1879, SOUTH AFRICA ZULU WAR.] [Sidenote: April 2nd, 1879, GINGIHLOVO.] Having been quartered for several years at Aldershot, where it gained much credit, the Battalion was at Colchester in January, 1879, when it received sudden orders to embark for South Africa in consequence of the defeat of _Lord Chelmsford’s_ troops by Cetewayo, the Zulu King, at the battle of Insandlwana. It landed at Durban, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Leigh-Pemberton, and marched direct to the Tugela, where, under _Lord Chelmsford_ himself, it formed part of the column to relieve Fort Pierson. Leaving the Tugela on the 25th of March, it took a distinguished part in the battle of Gingihlovo on the 2nd of April, when the Zulu impis with a splendid gallantry charged up to the muzzles of the men’s rifles, and severely tried the young soldiers of whom the ranks were largely composed. After a short half hour’s hard fighting the Zulu army reluctantly withdrew, leaving an immense number of killed and wounded behind them. The casualties were light, but the Battalion sustained a great loss in the death of Major and Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Northey, who was mortally wounded early in the action. In June the Battalion was engaged in the second advance to Ulundi under _Sir Garnet Wolseley_; and in the subsequent pursuit and capture of Cetewayo, which brought the Zulu War to a close, two companies of the Battalion, under Captain Astley Terry,[47] had a prominent share. [Sidenote: 1881, BOER WAR.] [Sidenote: Jan. 28th, 1881, LAING’S NEK.] The 3rd Battalion, under Lieutenant-Colonel Cromer Ashburnham,[48] remained in South Africa, and was quartered at Pietermaritzburg, when in January, 1881, the Boers, under Joubert, invaded Natal. _Major-General Sir George Colley_, the High Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief, having assembled at Newcastle a small force, which included the 3rd Battalion, advanced and attacked the Boers on the 28th in position at Laing’s Nek. The Battalion in part covered the left flank, and in part formed a reserve to the assaulting column. The attack was repulsed with heavy loss, and the Battalion covered the retreat, but did not lose many men. On the 25th of January the 2nd Battalion arrived from India in a state of the highest efficiency after its successful experience in the Afghan War. Landing at Durban, it marched forthwith to join headquarters at Newcastle, where it remained until the armistice in March. [Sidenote: Feb. 8th, 1881, INGOGO FIGHT.]